Live: Chauhan to be richest CM

Amidst high expectations and uncertainty, counting began for the 230-member Assembly elections on Sunday morning. Shivraj Singh Chauhan is fighting against young Minister of State for Power Jyotiraditya Scindia for chief minister's post in the state.

8.45 pm

• Surendra Nath Singh of BJP has defeated Arif Masood of Congress by a margin of 6981 votes to win Bhopal (Central) constituency. Surendra Nath polled 70,696 votes while Arif managed 63,715 votes.
• In Bhopal (North), Arif Aqueel of Congress retained his stronghold by trouncing former Union minister Arif Baig of BJP by more than 6,000 votes.
• Aqueel got 73,070 votes against 66,406 polled by Baig. In Badnawar seat, Madhya Prades Apex Cooperative Bank Chairman Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat defeated Rajyawardhan Singh Dattigaon of Congress by 9,812 seats.

7.45 pm

Madhya Pradesh Public Relations and Culture Minister and BJP leader Laxmikant Sharma loses to Govardhan Lal of Congress by 1,584 votes in Sironj constituency.

7.20 pm

BJP MLA Surendra Patwa won Bhojpur seat by defeated former Union minister Suresh Pachouri by a margin of 20,149 votes.

7.05 pm

With assets worth more than Rs 6.27 crore, Madhya Pradesh's Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the richest among those set to be appointed Chief Ministers in the four states. Read more: Shivraj Chouhan to be wealthiest CM

7.00 pm

• Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh's son Jaiwardhan Singh was declared elected from the Raghogarh constituency in Guna district.
• Jaiwardhan won his debut election by a margin of 58,204 votes, trouncing the rival BJP candidate Radhe Shyam Dhakad.
• Jaiwardhan was polled 98,041 votes whereas Dhakad could secure 58,564 votes.

6.41 pm

With ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh cruising towards a record third straight win, Congress accepted the people's mandate, saying it would continue to play the role of a responsible opposition.

5.58 pm

BJP's Yashodhara Raje Scindia wins from Shivpuri seat by a margin of 11,145 votes by defeating her nearest rival Birendra Singh of Congress.

4.45 pm

• Forest Minister Sartaj Singh won Seoni Malwa seat, while Minister of State for School Education Nanabhai Mohod won Saunsar seat humbling Congress' Bhagvat Mahajan.

• Though several senior ministers including Babulal Gaur, Kailash Vijaywargiya, Vijay Shah, Uma Shankar Gupta, Jagdish Devda and Archana Chitnis are leading, Public Relations and Culture Minister Laxmikant Sharma and Anoop Mishra are trailing.

• However, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Ajay Singh is leading by 6,120 votes from his traditional Churhat constituency.

• Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh's son Jaivardhan Singh, a debutant, is leading at Raghogarh.

4.05 pm

Former Union Minister Suresh Pachouri of Congress is trailing his BJP opponent and sitting MLA Surendra Patwa by 10,000 votes at Bhojpur.

3.45 pm

Tweets from Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Now it's time for us to work even harder and win 2014. ?? ?????? ??? ???? ?

Thank each one of you and each member of my team, team BJP and everyone who supported my mission and vision of developed MP.

2.44 pm

Do not blame Rahul Gandhi for the Congress reverses in the Assembly polls, Union Minister Jayanthi Natarajan suggested today maintaining that it was a "collective failure" and the party will introspect. Read here

2.30 pm

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has won the election from Vidisha seat by 16,966 votes. Chouhan got 73,783 votes against Shashank Bhargava (Congress) who secured 56,817 votes.

1.45 pm

Shivraj Singh Chauhan thanks the people of the state for ensuring a win for his party.

At a press meet he said:

• Victory was under the leadership of Narendra Modi, says Shivraj Singh Chauhan
• We have to form the government in Delhi in 2014. MP has been discriminated against
• I thank the central leadership- LK Avaniji, Modiji, Rajnath Singhji and Sushmaji for their support. Read the fullstory here

1.30 pm

Shivraj Singh Chauhan to address press meet soon

Read: Chouhan's son of the soil image proves to be winner, again

1.00 pm

• Jyotiraditya Scindia congrats BJP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan.
• He callsfor the reconstruction of the party.
• We need to introspect. Not a mandate for 2014, says Scindia
• We have failed and failed miserably on all counts, and there is no hiding from that: Scindia

"Obviously it is very disappointing for us. This calls for a major reconstruction and introspection in the party. This was something we never expected," said Scindia. The Union Minister said that Congress' state leadership collectively failed in ensuring the party's victory.

"On all accounts we failed, failed and failed. There is a need to relook...It is the collective leadership of the party in the state (responsible for the loss)," he said. Scindia felt Narendra Modi, who had campaigned in the state aggressively, had no impact in the state and congratulated Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on his victory.

"I do not think Narendra Modi had any impact. If there has been any impact in Madhya Pradesh it is Shivraj Singh Chouhan. My heartiest congratulations to him," he said. Scindia, who represents Guna constituency in Madhya Pradesh in Lok Sabha, said the assembly elections results will not have any bearing in the general elections scheduled next year.

"Clearly state leadership of the incumbent party leaders has gone in its favour and the state leadership of Congress has not gone in its favour. Clearly we need to introspect on it. "It is not a reflection for Lok Sabha election. In 2008, remember we had lost both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. But we had won Lok Sabha elections," he said.

Scindia said there was a need to strengthen party leadership in the state. "We need to work on Dalit-OBC combination in the state and the party cadre," he added. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister has won from Vidisha, one of the seats he contested from. He is leading from Budhni as well.

Congress's Milind Deora tweets:
Results of hundred battles help one prepare well for the war ~ Sun Tzu. Good time for Congress to introspect & reward the deserving

11.50 am

Narendra Modi Tweets: Called Shivraj ji to congratulate him for BJP's wonderful performance in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections!

11.00 am

Chouhan leading in Budhni, Vidisha

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is leading over his Congress rivals from both Budhni and Vidisha seats. While Chouhan, seeking a record third straight term for BJP, is leading by 12,777 votes over his Congress rival Mahendra Singh Chouhan in Budhni, he is ahead by 2312 votes in Vidisha where Congress' Shashank Bhargava is trailing.

Chouhan is a sitting MLA from Budhni. He had represented Vidisha five times in the Lok Sabha. The seat is now held by Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj.

9.15 am

Mama Chouhan teaches Prince Jyothiraditya a lesson

Bhopal: It was billed as a battle between Mama and Raja (Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Jyothiraditya Raje Scindia), but with leads pouring in thick and fast, it looks like the Mama sweeping the state.

If the leads hold on, Chouhan would match Narendra Modi’s record in Gujarat becoming the Chief Minister for the fourth consecutive term.

The setback for the Congress will come as a personal blow for Jyothiraditya who had put his heart and soul into the campaign and was tipped to become the CM.

Many see the mandate as a huge backing for Chouhan’s style of governance which is more of a personal nature. Narendra Modi seems to have provided a booster dose for the campaign.

Rahul Gandhi’s magic seems to have not worked.

• BJP retaining Jabera (MP)
• Most results from Bundelkhand region
• Ram Prasad Singh (BJP) leads in Beohari
• Chouhan Nagarsingh (BJP) leads in Alirajpur

Also read: Assembly poll result will set tone for 2014